A Good Marketing Plan and Why Your Business Needs One

You can be an online entity operating under a "one man" management structure or a multi billion manufacturing unit, the one thing that you absolutely cannot do without is a good marketing plan. For reasons, far too many to recount, a successful business is one which relies on and works around a strategic and structured marketing plan.

So what is a marketing plan?

In simple language, a marketing plan is a detailed outline of your marketing strategy. This plan is based on the following considerations:

· Client information (demographic classification, likes, preferences etc.)
· Market size
· Sales potential
· Prevailing marketing trends, tools and resources
· Competitors marketing strategies (already existing businesses)
· Available resources
· Available capital
· Best marketing approach with respect to the above points; this on a yearly basis

Once you are already in business your next year marketing plans will include information from all quarters of your business such as sales, supply, personnel and finance.

Large businesses make do with hundreds of pages of marketing ideas, tools, resources and plans. Some of which are pursued with zeal

Social Media Optimization As Part of Marketing Plan

Social media provides the ideal platform for information dissemination. However for many, it is nothing but just another cluttered division of the virtual world saturating with a constant pouring of new tools and features. There are several social media optimization techniques and it holds promise for everyone who uses this marketing tool with a fixed purpose. Everyday thousands of leads are being generated across the world by using social media as a platform to market services and products. But this becomes possible only with a balanced and well chalked out approach toward social media optimization that ensures sales and marketing objectives fulfillment.

Aligning social media optimization techniques with business goals

Whether you want to augment the traffic to your website or just want to promote your products and services through social media optimization, you need to adopt a logical and long-term strategy based on your business size and related aspects. Make sure that it is easy for your target audience to understand what you are trying to convey. Be absolutely clear about its objective- be it brand building, product promotion or highlighting your customer service. You should broadcast your information in an

Turning a Personal Book Marketing Plan Into Recognition Marketing

I've seen book trends come and go, such as prequels following sequels. Book authors used to market their work four ways: price, place, and special promotions. But the Internet has changed this approach. Name recognition has evolved into something called Recognition Marketing.Today's book buyers search the Net for what they want and they want fast results. If they don't get fast results, they move on to another website. David Miranda describes this marketing shift in his article, "The New 5 Cs for Successful Marketing," posted on the Recognition Marketing website. According to Miranda, Recognition Marketing has give components: Consumers, Context, Convenience, Convergence, and Community. Ever since I read his article, I've thought about adapting my personal book marketing plan to fit these components.

Consumers. Just like the housing industry, the publishing industry has become a buyers' market. Publishers keep this in mind when reviewing manuscripts. You may write for the sports niche, for example, and have an idea of what buyers want. While you're writing you keep these wants in mind.

Context. Target marketing is the focus of context. Your publisher may advertise your books on websites, in electronic newsletters, and print newsletters.

How to Create an Info Marketing Business Plan

Creating an info marketing business plan isn't high on many internet entrepreneur's to do lists. It's an absolute necessity, however, for marketers wanting to maximize their efforts. This article should benefit anyone who has an online business, but hasn't developed a business plan or an individual who is considering starting an online marketing business. Okay, lets get started.

Step 1: Decide Where You Want to Be in 90 Days
It all must start with this step. It's all wrong to start a business with the goal of just making a lot of money so you can retire one day. This isn't a measurable goal. It's just an ambiguous dream that can't support a strategy. Instead, create a list of goals that are more tangible (e.g. the number of products you intend to create, how many subscribers you plan to have, how much income you want to generate, etc.). These specific goals are not only measurable, they can support the strategy necessary to bring them about.

Step 2: Determine the Action Steps Required to Achieve Your Goals
This step involves the work required to see your 90 day goals become a reality. Depending on your business model, it will probably include creating your components such as a squeeze page, product(s), sales letter, download page, traffic and so on. This step is a bit challenging if you're just starting out since it's very difficult to measure the time required to perform all these tasks. You won't be able to accurately determine the time required to complete these action steps until you do them yourself. There are just too many variables involved. The good news is that you'll become more proficient and faster over time and will know how long each step takes to complete.

Step 3: Divide Your Action Steps into Daily Tasks
Once you've decided all the action steps required to complete your goals, then you must divide these steps into weeks, then days. If you don't perform this step, and do a little work here and there, you most certainly won't reach your 90 day set of goals. When you have a list of daily tasks, then all you need to do is consistently complete the work each day.

Step 4: Make Adjustments
This step involves monitoring the time required to complete each action step and make adjustments. For example, lets say that one of your daily tasks is to write and submit five articles each day. Instead of taking one hour to write all the articles, you find that it's taking much longer, more like two hours, then you need to adjust the time you're working day or learn to write articles faster.

By Scott Brooks